The Opel Insignia is a good-looking car. As you walk up to it, you can see that the German designers have put a lot of time and effort making the new version look the part. This is a big car with big-car ideas but with a price tag that just doesn’t seem to match up to the specification. Some of the technology in the Opel is brilliant.
The OnStar system, which is something most people don’t realise is available, is a bit of a gem. It’s one of those features you probably think is a gimmick until you start using it and then you can’t imagine life without it.
Basically, it’s a 24-hour on-call assistance – and from a human being, not a silly automated system. It can help you with everything from accident assistance to finding a parking spot. Push a button and you are immediately connected to a call centre where the person on the line will be able to load addresses into your car’s satnav, make a hotel reservation for you or even find a nearby car park with vacant spaces and then load that address into the satnav.
It also has major safety advantages, as it means help is available at the touch of a button in case of trouble. The service is free for the first 12 months and, if you wish to continue, it’s either €9.95 per month or €99.50 for an annual subscription. So once you have booked your hotel and had your route downloaded to the car, it’s time to get on the road.
On the road
The previous version of the Insignia could never have been described as a driver’s car, it always felt a little like you were sitting on top of it rather than in it. The new one has got around this and it feels far more connected to the road than the previous version. I got to drive this car on a long spin across the country on a very wet and windy evening and found it to be a very comfortable and capable kilometre-muncher.
There is plenty of legroom in the back.There is plenty of legroom in the back.
The seats are ergonomically designed and really do hold you in a lovely driving position. The test car came with the 136bhp version of the 1.6 litre diesel. It is a decent engine, if not the most gutsy thing in the world. The engine is attached to a six-speed manual box which does a good job of getting the power to the wheels in a unflustered manner. Over the week I spent about half of my time on main roads, where the Opel was brilliant. When you get into the twistier stuff it is passable but it feels a little big to drive in a spirited manner.
This new insignia is a very good car with very good and useful technology. It at least holds it own in the class. The only slight issue I have with this car is that the steering wheel feels a little bit too big for a car Opel thinks is a sporty model – a very minor complaint.
The steering wheel is a little big for what is considered to be a sporty model.There are lots of these on the road and, given the size and specification, it will make a serious impact in the large family and sales rep markets in this country.
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The Opel Insignia is a good-looking car. As you walk up to it, you can see that the German designers have put a lot of time and effort making the new version look the part. This is a big car with big-car ideas but with a price tag that just doesn’t seem to match up to the specification. Some of the technology in the Opel is brilliant.
The OnStar system, which is something most people don’t realise is available, is a bit of a gem. It’s one of those features you probably think is a gimmick until you start using it and then you can’t imagine life without it.
Basically, it’s a 24-hour on-call assistance – and from a human being, not a silly automated system. It can help you with everything from accident assistance to finding a parking spot. Push a button and you are immediately connected to a call centre where the person on the line will be able to load addresses into your car’s satnav, make a hotel reservation for you or even find a nearby car park with vacant spaces and then load that address into the satnav.
It also has major safety advantages, as it means help is available at the touch of a button in case of trouble. The service is free for the first 12 months and, if you wish to continue, it’s either €9.95 per month or €99.50 for an annual subscription. So once you have booked your hotel and had your route downloaded to the car, it’s time to get on the road.
On the road
The previous version of the Insignia could never have been described as a driver’s car, it always felt a little like you were sitting on top of it rather than in it. The new one has got around this and it feels far more connected to the road than the previous version. I got to drive this car on a long spin across the country on a very wet and windy evening and found it to be a very comfortable and capable kilometre-muncher.
There is plenty of legroom in the back.There is plenty of legroom in the back.
The seats are ergonomically designed and really do hold you in a lovely driving position. The test car came with the 136bhp version of the 1.6 litre diesel. It is a decent engine, if not the most gutsy thing in the world. The engine is attached to a six-speed manual box which does a good job of getting the power to the wheels in a unflustered manner. Over the week I spent about half of my time on main roads, where the Opel was brilliant. When you get into the twistier stuff it is passable but it feels a little big to drive in a spirited manner.
This new insignia is a very good car with very good and useful technology. It at least holds it own in the class. The only slight issue I have with this car is that the steering wheel feels a little bit too big for a car Opel thinks is a sporty model – a very minor complaint.
The steering wheel is a little big for what is considered to be a sporty model.There are lots of these on the road and, given the size and specification, it will make a serious impact in the large family and sales rep markets in this country.
Read more
New Volkswagen Touareg on the way
A Kia with a sting in the tail
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